Scientists from Nanyang Technological University developed a micro-needle patch that delivers fat-burning drugs into the body.

Each needle contained within the patch is thinner than a human hair. When pressed into the skin, the needles detach from the patch and become embedded in the body. The drug molecules then slowly diffuse to turn energy-storing white fat into energy-burning brown fats.

Brown fats are found in areas such as the neck and shoulders and the amount a person has usually adds up to only a couple of ounces. More so, because brown fats are found deep within the body they are less likely to cause bulges like love handles.

The researchers tested the patch on mice that were fed a high fat diet over a period of four weeks. The patch was shown to suppress the mice’s weight gain and helped reduce their fat mass by over 30%.

About the study, assistant professor Xu Chenjie said: “With the embedded micro-needles in the skin of the mice, the surrounding fats started browning in five days, which helped to increase the energy expenditure of the mice, leading to a reduction in body fat gain. The amount of drugs we used in the patch is much less than those used in oral medication or an injected dose. This lowers the drug ingredient costs while our slow-release design minimises its side effects.”

The researchers hope that their wearable patch could be used to address worldwide obesity problems without the need for surgical operations.

Professor Chen Peng, co-author of the study, said: “What we aim to develop is a painless patch that everyone could use easily, is unobtrusive and yet affordable. Most importantly, our solution aims to use a person’s own body fats to burn more energy, which is a natural process in babies.”

The study was published in the journal Small Methods and has gained interest from biotechnology companies. Professors Peng and Chenjie are now looking to expand their team to advance their research.